Railway signaling.



R. A. McCANN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION man OCT. 31. 1912.

1,197,749. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITNESSES INVENTOR R. A. McCANN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATHJN EILED not. at. l9t2.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2- INVENTOR 422W WITNESSES it R. A. McCANN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1912.

1 ,1 97 ,749 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- I WITNESSES INVENTOF!- R. A. McCANNf RAILWAY SIGNALLNGL APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. I912.

1,197,749. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG.4

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RMLWAY SIGNALING. APPLIOATION men OCT. 31. 1912.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RONALD A. MCCANNI OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RONALD A. MoCANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Railway Signaling, of whic the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling for single track over which traflic moves in both directions; it is articularly adapted to signaling for stretclies of single track between passing sidings, although it is not limited to this particular adaptation.

I will describe one form ofrailway signaling embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a stretch of single track having applied thereto one 7 form of railway signaling embodying my invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are views similar to Fi 1, showing the effect on the apparatus an circuits of the passage of a car or train through the stretch.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A is a stretch of single track between two passing sidings B and C. Thestretch A is provided with one or more track circuits; as here shown it is provided with two track circuits each of which comprises a track battery 10 and a track relay T or T. Extending in each direction from the stretch A are preliminary track circuits 7) and 7) each of which in cludes a track battery 10, and a track .relay P or P.

S is a signal device governing traffic through the stretch A from west to east, and S is a similar signal device governing traffic through the stretch A from east to west. Each of these signal devices as here shown comprises two semap lfore arms 11 and 12; when both arms are horizontal the signal indicates stop; when-arm 11 is inclined the signal device indicates clear; when the arm 11 is horizontal and the arm 12 is inclined, the signal device indicates caution Operatively connected with semaphore arm 11 of each signal device are two circuit controlling contacts 42 and 51; when the arm 11 is horizontal, contact 42 is open and contact 51 is closed, and when arm 11 is in- Serial No. 728,759.

clined, these contacts are respectively closed and open. Operatively connected with each of the track switches 61 and 61 leading from the stretch A into the sidings B and C 1s a circuit controlling contact 41 or 41 which contact is closed when the switch is set for straight traific on the main track, and is open when the switch is set for tra-fiic into or out of the siding.

The clear indication of each signal device is controlled by means of a polarized relay H or H and the caution indlcation of each signal device is controlled by means of a neutral relay L or L. The control circuits for the signal devices will be traced hereinafter in explaining the operation of the system.

R and R are auxiliary relays whose functions will appear hereinafter.

The operation of the system is as follows: Assume that a car or train moving from east to west enters the preliminary track circuit P as shown in Fig. 2. Track relay P opens, and its back contact 24 closes the following circuit-from battery D through wires 48 and 21, contact 22 of relay R, wire 23, contact 24, wires 25 and 26, winding of polarized relay H, wire 27, contact 28 of relay T, line wire 29, contact 28 of relay T, wire 70, winding of polarized relay H, wires 71 and 72, contact 24 of relay P, wires 30 and 2Q, common wire 0 to battery D. This circuit I will hereinafter refer to as the line circuit. The current in this circuit is in such direction as to reverse the polarized armature 16 of relay H but not to reverse the polarized armature 38 of relay H, but the neutral armatures of both of these relays are of course closed. The reversal of polarized armature 16 and closure of neutral contact 15 of relay H closes the clear indication circuit for signal S which circuit is as follows-from battery D through wires 13 and 14, contact 15, polarized contact 16, wire 17 operating mechanism for semaphore arm 11, wire 18, contact 19, wire 62, to battery D. Semaphore arm 11 therefore moves to clear position as indicated in Fig. 2. The closing of the neutral armature of relay H closes the following circuit to energize auxiliary relay Rfrom battery D through wires 35 and 36,.contact 37 polarized contact 38, wire 39, winding of relay R, wire 40, contact 41, wire 20, to battery D. The closing of relay R closes a branch around a portion of the line circuit hereinbefore traced, which branch is from wire 71, through wire 32, contact 33, wire 34, to wire 20. It will be seen that this branch is in parallel with contact 24 of relay P, hence if, while the car or train occupies preliminary track circuit 79 an east-bound car or train should enter preliminary section p, tl1e opening of track relay P would have no effect on the line circuit and consequently would not open the circuit of semaphore 11 of signal S; neither would it close the circuit for either the clear or caution indication of signal S hence this east-bound car or train would be held in track circuit 2.

While the semaphore arm 11 of signal S is in clear position a pick-up circuit for relay L is closed which circuit is as follows: from battery D through wire 13, contact 42, wire 43, winding of relay L, wires 44 and 62 to battery D. Relay L therefore closes.

When the car or train WV enters the stretch A, as shownin Fig. 3, the opening of track relay T opens the line circuit, thereby deenergizing relays H and H. The opening of contact'15 and reversal of contact 16 of relay H opens at two places the circuit of semaphore 11 which thenreturns to horizontal position, but before contact 42 has opened, the closing of back contact 60 of relay H closes the following holding cir- I cuit for relay L--from battery D through wires v13 and 14, contact of relay H, wire 46, contact 47, wire 45, winding of relay L, wires 44' and 62,. to batteryD'. Relay L is held closed by this stick circuit. The opening of relay H opens the circuit of relay R, which relay isthereby denergized. The opening of track-relay T also. closes relay R through the following circuitfrom battery D throughwires 13 and 63, contact 64, wire 65, winding of relay R, wire 66, contact 41*, wire 62 to battery D. The opening of.this relay T has however no effect on the operation of the rest of the apparatus.

As the car or train W passes the middle of stretch A and deenergizes track relay T, as shown in 4, it has no efiect on the line circuit other than to open this circuit at another point, that is, at contact 28 of relay T. .Theiopening of track relay T, however, again", energizes relay B through the following circuit-from battery D through wires 65. and 53,'contact 54, wire 55, winding of relay R, wire 40, contact 41,

wire 20 to battery DJ Relay R therefore closes. As thecar or train W enters preliminary section p, as shown in Fig. 5, the opening of track relay P closes a holding circuit for relay R as followsfrom battery D, through wire 56, contact 57, wire 58, contact 59, winding of relay R, wire 40, contact 41, wire 20, to battery D. Hence,

tion 39 it opens relay P, which latter causes relay H to close. The closing of relay H opens the holding circuit for relay L, and closes the circuit for arm 11 of signal S.

The operation of the apparatus during the passage of an east-bound car or train is similar to that just explained. In this case, relay R would be open, so the opening of track relay P by a car entering section 19 would close the following line circuit from battery D through wires 67 and 68, contact 22, wire 69, contact 24, wires 72 and 71, Winding of relay H, wire 70, contact 28 of relay T, wire 29, contact 28 of relay T, Wire 27, winding of relay H, Wires 26 and 25', contacts 24 of relay P, wires 62 and O to battery D. If relay L has been left closed by a west-bound car or train it will now be opened by the closing of the neutral armature of polarized relay H. Current in the line circuit just traced is in such direction as to reverse the polarized armature contact of relay H, but to not reverse that of relay H. -Hence if the stretch A and preliminary section 19 are unoccupied, arm 11 of signal S will be cleared and the car may proceed through the stretch. Further explanation of the operation of the apparatus for movement in this direction is un necessary.

If, with the car or train Win the stretch A as shown in Figs. 3 or 4, a following car or train moving from east to west should enter preliminary section p, the caution semaphore arm 12 would be cleared for the 5 following reason: The. opening of track relay P could not close the line circuit because this circuit would be held open by either track relay T or T. Relay L is however already'closed, so the following circuit for semaphore 12 would be closed-from battery D through wire 48, contact 49, wire 50, contact 51, wire 52, operating mechanism for semaphore arm 12, wire 18, contact 19, wire 62 to battery D. Arm 12 therefore clears, so the following car or train could then enter the stretch A under caution expecting to find a preceding car or train in the stretch. As soon as the following car or train leaves the preliminary section p track relay P closes thereby opening the circuit just traced for semaphore arm 12, hence this arm returns to horizontal position.

If, while the car or train W occupies preliminary section 7) or stretch A, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and i, anreast bound car or train should enter preliminary section 2, it would be brought to' a stop because it could not cause signal S to clear. The switch ()1 would then be opened to permit a car or train IV to enter siding B and the opening of this switch would open contact 41, which latter would hold open relay B when the car or train IV is in the west end of stretch A. As soon as the entire car or train W has entered siding B track relay T would close and the car or train occupying preliminary section p would then cause the line circuit to beclosed so that semaphore 11 of signal S would move to clear position.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway signaling embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. In combination, a stretch of railway track over which trafiic moves in both directions; a signal device adjacent each end of the stretch for governing trafiic'through the stretch and adapted to indicate stop, caution and clear, a clear indication circuit and a caution indication circuit for each signal device, a polarized relay adjacent each signal device each having a polarized armature for the control of the clear indication circuit and each having a neutral armature, a normally closed line circuit extending through the stretch and including the windings of the two polarized relays; means controlled by the presence of a train in the stretch for holding the line circuit open, and means controlled by a train'approaching the stretch from either direction for sending current through the line circuit in one direction or.

the other according to the direction from which the train is approaching, the polarized relays being so connected in said line circuit that current flows through one of them in the effective direction and through.

the other in the ineffective direction at the same time, a circuit controller operated by each signal device, and closed only when the signal device indicates clear, a caution relay for each signal device for the control of the caution indication circuit thereof, a'pick-up circuit for each caution relay including the said circuit controller operated by the ad; a-

cent signal device, and a holding circuit ized relay.

each caution relay including a front contact of such caution relay and a back contact of the neutral armature of the adjacent polar- 2. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal device located adjacent each end of the stretch for governing traflic through the stretch, each signal device being adapted to indicate stop, caution and clear, a polarized relay for each signal device for controlling the clear indication thereof, a line circuit extending through the stretch. and including the windings of said polarized relays, means controlled by a train approaching the' stretch from one direction or the other for sending current through said line circuit in one direction or the other, said polarized relays being so connected in said circuit that the current through one of them is in an effective direction and through the other in an ineffective direction at the same time, means controlled by a train in the stretch for opening the line circuit, a caution relay for each signal device for controlling the caution indication thereof, and means for closing each caution relay when a train enters the stretch from the correspondend of the stretch for governing trafiic through the stretch, a polarized relay for each signal device for the control thereof, a

common wire extending through the stretch, a source of current adj acenfi each end of the stretch the same pole of each source being connected with said common wire, a line nected with one terminal of each polarized relay, apreliminary track circuit adjacent each end of the stretch andincluding a track relay, contacts and conductors controlled by each track relay for connecting'the remaina ing terminal of the adjacent polarized relaywith the common wire or with the remaining pole of the adjacent source of current, the polarized relays being so connected with said line wire that the current flows through one of them in the elfective direction and through the other in the inefl ective direction at the same time, means controlled by a train in the stretch for deenergizing said polarized relays; an auxiliary relayadjacent each end of the stretch for opening. the connection between the source of current and the polarized relay, and means controlled by each polarized relay when energized in the 106 wire extending through the stretch and con- 7 stretch the same pole of each source being connected with said common wire, a line wire extending through the stretch and connected with one terminal of each polarized relay, a preliminary track circuit adjacent each end of the stretch and including a track relay, contacts and conductors controlled by each track relay for connecting the remaining terminal of the adjacent polarized relay with the common wire or with the remaining pole of the adjacent source of current, the polarized relays being so connected With said line Wire that the current flows through one of them in the effective direction and through the other in the ineffective direction at the same time, means controlled by a train in the stretch for deenergizing said polarized relays; an auxiliary relay adjacent each end of the stretch for opening the connection between the source and the olarized relay, and for bridging the track relay contact which connects the polarized relay with the common wire, and means controlled by each polarized relay When energized in the non-effective direction for causing operation of the adjacent auxiliary rela In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal device located adjacent each end of the stretch for governing trafiic through the stretch, a polarized relay for each signal device for the control thereof, a common Wire extending through the stretch, a source of current adjacent each end of the said line Wire that the current flows through one of them in the effective direction and through the other in the ineflective direction at the same time, track circuits for the stretch including track relays for controlling said polarized relays; an auxiliary relay adjacent each end of the stretch for opening the connection between the source of current and the polarized relay, and

means controlled by the track relays for opcrating each auxiliary relay as a train passes out of the stretch at the adjacent end and for continuing the operation of the relay while the train occupies the preliminary section. 7

In testim -r whereof I aflixmy signature in presence or two witnesses.

RONALD A. MoCANN.

Witnesses:

A. L. VENoILL, M. S. KIRKLAND. 

